Manufacturing Reliability Engineer

Manufacturing Reliability Engineer

Michigan Milk Producers Association is seeking a Manufacturing Reliability Engineer to improve equipment reliability, process performance, and control system stability across our dairy manufacturing facilities.

This role is ideal for an engineer with a strong background in industrial controls, automation, or manufacturing systems who wants to expand into reliability engineering. Working closely with Maintenance and Operations, you'll investigate equipment failures, improve control systems, eliminate recurring problems, and strengthen the reliability of our manufacturing assets.

This is a hands-on, plant-based engineering role focused on understanding why failures occur and implementing long-term solutions that improve manufacturing performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Investigate chronic equipment and process failures using structured root cause analysis.
• Develop and implement solutions that eliminate recurring downtime and improve asset reliability.
• Analyze downtime data, maintenance history, and field observations to identify improvement opportunities.
• Focus engineering efforts on issues that have the greatest impact on production throughput and operational stability.

Support Controls & Automation

• Troubleshoot and improve PLCs, HMIs, instrumentation, VFDs, and industrial control systems.
• Analyze process and control system performance to identify instability, inefficiencies, and failure trends.
• Implement control system improvements that enhance equipment reliability and manufacturing performance.

Partner with Operations & Maintenance

• Work closely with Maintenance and Operations to resolve complex technical issues.
• Provide engineering support during significant equipment failures and plant troubleshooting events.
• Help improve maintenance troubleshooting capability through technical coaching and knowledge sharing.
• Build strong working relationships across all levels of plant operations.

Drive Continuous Improvement

• Support reliability-focused capital improvements and engineering changes.
• Analyze recurring equipment issues and recommend long-term corrective actions.
• Participate in cross-functional improvement initiatives that increase plant reliability, efficiency, and throughput.
• Travel to other MMPA manufacturing facilities as needed.

Work Environment & Schedule

This position is primarily plant-based and requires regular interaction with production and maintenance teams.

The Manufacturing Reliability Engineer participates in a rotating weekend and off-shift engineering support schedule. The objective is to provide technical support during complex equipment issues while continuously improving equipment reliability and maintenance capability to reduce future escalations.

Travel between MMPA manufacturing facilities will be required as business needs dictate.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Manufacturing, Industrial, or related Engineering discipline (or equivalent technical experience).
• 2+ years of experience in manufacturing, controls, automation, or industrial engineering.
• Hands-on experience with PLCs, HMIs, instrumentation, VFDs, and industrial automation systems.
• Strong troubleshooting and analytical problem-solving skills.
• Ability to understand interactions between mechanical, electrical, and process systems.
• Comfortable working in a manufacturing environment and collaborating directly with operations and maintenance teams.
• Ability to interpret electrical, mechanical, and process documentation.

Preferred

• Experience in food, dairy, or other continuous process manufacturing.
• Exposure to reliability engineering tools such as Root Cause Failure Analysis (RCFA), FMEA, or CMMS systems.
• Experience with industrial historians or process data analysis.
• Interest in developing expertise in reliability engineering through company-supported training and professional certification (CMRP/CRMP).

Why Join MMPA?

This role offers the opportunity to build expertise in both industrial controls and manufacturing reliability while making a direct impact on one of the nation's leading dairy cooperatives.

You'll work on complex manufacturing systems, collaborate with experienced operations and maintenance professionals, and help improve the reliability of facilities that process millions of pounds of milk every day. MMPA is committed to developing engineers through hands-on experience, technical mentoring, and professional training, creating a pathway for long-term career growth in manufacturing engineering and reliability.

MMPA provides the opportunity for meaningful work that makes a difference in the dairy industry and in our communities. The diverse talents and perspectives of our employees help us to meet the needs of our member farms and the customers we serve.

We are interested in every qualified candidate who is eligible to work in the United States.

MMPA is committed to maintaining a safe, healthy, and productive environment for all employees as one of our top priorities. As part of our commitment to your well-being and workplace safety, all applicants are required to undergo a drug screening and background check as part of the hiring process.

We are not accepting unsolicited candidate introductions, referrals, or résumés from third-party recruiters or staffing agencies for this position.

MMPA is an equal opportunity employer.